Sangchul nearly tripped over a girl's sandals. He cursed as he regained his balance, uprighted himself only to be met with a pair of rich, brown eyes wide in surprise.

"Watch where you're going woman," he growled, the irritation plain and clear on his face as he shoved past her in annoyance.

"Excuse me!" an indignant voice cut through the air. "Wasn't that your fault to begin with? Where's my apology?"

That stopped Sangchul dead in his tracks. As far as he could recall, no one has dared to challenge him before. And not even the best could get him to apologise. Not Sangchul Kim, the guy girls fawn over and guys envy. Whose money and power sees him through every outrageous scenario he gets entangled in. He swirled on his feet to assess his opponent and it took him just one glance to dismiss her as a common plebian. Appalling sense of fashion, jarring posture, unflattering silhoutte, a glass of some questionable taste, most likely a guest of the bride.

Annoyed steel blue eyes met fiery brown ones.

"You've got to be kidding me! You have literally planted yourself in the middle of the passage! You're basically asking people to come collide with you and then you dare place yourself in victim's shoes?! Apology? You better be grateful that I'm not suing you for deliberately creating a scenario that could lead to public harm!"

Maya's mouth fell open in a gape. She couldn't believe the nonsense this guy was spewing. Did he actually threaten to sue her for tripping? What's the hell wrong with him?

"I can't believe this!" Maya exploded. These rich stuck up friends of the Hiraharas! "You're the one that couldn't even see an entire human being standing right in front of you because you were so self absorbed in your own world that you couldn't even be bothered to recall that you're at a public gathering! At a wedding reception hall in a walkway that isn't set aside for your rich ass to stride as he pleases and then expect people to part way for you? How spoiled do you have to be entertain that notion. Who on earth do you think you are? Who died and made you the freakin' king?!"

"Well, your plebian ass is definitely beneath my notice then." Sangchul snapped back. A small crowd has gathered to witness the exchange and the girl was getting on his nerves. He was half in the frame of mind to pick up a date for the night and now thanks to her, his mood was ruined and all he wanted now was to make her pay.

The short haired girl was getting redder by the minute. With absolutely no retort on her lips. He smirked. He had finally managed to silence her for good, his spirits uplifting partly at this small victory and he turned around to seek better company when a glass of something frigid rained down upon him. The shock and chill ran down his spine as he jerked back around to face the crazy girl, only to see her launch herself against him and knocking the wind out of him as he fell down under her heavy weight. His head painfully colliding with the hard marble floor.

It took him a minute to regain his bearings. And he found himself deadlocked in a complicated tackle maneuver, with an arm nearly strangulating him.

"Maya!" her blue haired companion cried as she flung herself on the brunette, trying to pry her apart from his self. There was a slight commotion as people huddled closer to get a better view of the momentous scene and two more people extricated themselves from the crowd to help the blue haired girl in her rescue operation.

"Maya, calm down!" the blue haired girl placated the wild girl once she was safely secured in her hold. It was then Sangchul realised that he wasn't her hostage anymore.

The girl in question had quietened down but there was an intense ferocity in the glare she directed down his way. She was breathing hard from all the exertion and her short hair was a complete, dishevelled mess. Her strappy blue dress was crumpled pretty bad but the first thought that struck Sangchul's mind was that she looked like a ferocious tigress. He couldn't take his eyes off her, as her own commanded sole attention and reluctant submission. They burned with fire. With passion. The sight was awestriking.

"Sangchul, hey buddy, you alright?" His attention was diverted by Yeong gi, looking dashing in his best man's attire, who had somehow arrived by his side and was trying to help him up. He shook his head to clear his thoughts and instantly got back to his feet, brushing off the dust. What on earth was he thinking? He must be insane.

"I'm fine," he muttered distractedly. The brown haired girl was nowhere in sight, already escorted outside by her friends. Yeong gi let go of his arm uncertainly. There was a look of concern in his eyes that Sangchul found particularly disconcerting.

Yeong gi and he had grown to a stage where they were well past their initial misunderstandings and conflicts and both had matured enough to develop a mutual understanding of sorts. And although Sangchul would rather kill himself before labelling them as friends, a sort of camaraderie has formed between the two future CEOs and inevitable buisness partners after working together for so long under the same roof. A mutual trust and grudging respect had taken roots.

"I could use a drink."

"I've got to say that everytime there's some trouble at a party, you've a knack of getting yourself involved. Primarly in the chief perpetrator role." There was a hint of mischief in Yeong gi's eyes that suddenly grew alarmed as Sangchul drowned his third shot at the bar. "Hey, easy there."

"F* off!" Sangchul retorted.

"Looks like she hurt your ego pretty bad too," Yeong gi grinned and then sobering up, "Am I wrong to presume your over inflated ego deserved every bit of that?"

Sangchul bristled at the suggestion. But if he was being completely honest, he did went a little overboard with the threats. He couldn't exactly sue her for something so innocuous. And he thought he was well past petty vendettas. C'mon, he was better than that hag witch Yui Hirahara to play such games well into his adulthood. God forbid he turns out like her. Sangchul scowled.

And what was he? A kid? To fancy himself as an actual king? And he had thought he had changed, only to lapse back into his worst self at the slightest hint of provocation. He felt disgusted.

Yeong gi sighed when the silence stretched on for too long. "Thought so. If it makes you feel better, she did the same thing to Kousuke when they first met. Maya is known to have a temper. You got off easy there."

"Somebody should lock her down," Sangchul muttered. Preferably in solitary confinement and throw away the key.

"Ha ha," Yeong gi laughed, "Can't say that she doesn't scare me. She's not someone to be taken lightly of. Headstrong to a fault. But once you know her, she's pretty fun to be around. Fiercely loyal and wildly enthusiastic. Although, a bit moody too. Got to give her points for standing up against your stuck up ass."

"Tch."

Yeong gi chuckled before briefly patting him on the back and leaving him to his own mood swings.

The bride and the groom took the centre stage as Kousuke led a radiant Shin ae to the dancefloor. Shin ae was looking splendid in her tulle dress and there was no hesitation as she placed her hand in Kousuke's, her eyes fixated on his blue ones. A gentle smile gracing her features.

Rika had excused herself from Maya's side as the music soared, probably planning to coax Soushi into a dance. Good luck with that, Maya thought drily. She was genuinely happy for her. She was actually delighted for all her friends but at the same time, she couldn't help but feel dejected seeing how the evening has panned out so far.

She should have shown better self control. Refrained herself from acting out the impulse. That was a very unladylike, animalistic display of anger or indignation or whatever. And whatever that prat deserved, he didn't deserve to be put in a life threatening situation. All he used were mere words, no matter how idiotic they sounded. Or how triggering they were.

"Or maybe he got what he rightfully begged for!" Maya huffed. He must be back bitching her behind a glass of rum. How could that guy have the power to still be stuck on her mind?

"Arggh," she swirled around. She needed to get some fresh air and clear her mind. Refocus on Shin ae's happy event and just forget about...A blond guy with cold blue eyes was making his way towards her. Hands deep in his pockets and looking very much like he owned the whole damn place. He strolled all the way over to her before firmly planting himself in front of her, his head tilted at an inquistive angle, his eyes reassessing her very person. There was a moment of utter silence as Maya Park utilised all her height to meet his strong gaze with her own glare. He was one of those rare short heighted guys she could meet at eye level. At least in the right sandals.

"If you're waiting for an apology, you aren't getting one," she snapped. She was never good with them anyway.

"Then what about a dance?" Sangchul threw back at her.

"What?!"

Sangchul shrugged. "Well, you tripped me accidentally and then tackled me down quite deliberately. It was quite a show. Can't say that I wholeheartedly deserved that. And apology's never been my strong suite, anyway. You can pay me back with a dance. Or vice versa." He drew a little closer and was pleasantly surprised to see her stand her ground. "Even the odds?"

He took in the change in her expressions as various emotions flashed past her face. Surprise, Relief, Doubt, Conflict. She bit her lips indicisively, clearly taken aback. The riposte dying on her lips. Cute, he thought absent mindedly.

"Guess, I pegged you down wrong. I thought you don't back away from a challenge," he took a step back, feeling slightly disappointed. Disappointed? He doesn't even know her. This woman was badly messing up his mind everytime she's near. Shaking his head, he turned back.

"You're on." A voice cut through the air, freezing him on the spot. "But I better warn you I'm one heck of a dancer!"

Sangchul smirked.

Who said he wasn't one too?

Somehow, amidst bickering, quarelling and a tackle he has found his match.